Mr. Speaker, I want to remind Canadians that the Mint is now doing its business in a fashion that is completely above reproach.

The roles and responsibilities of the board, the chair and the president were reviewed, and completely clarified to reflect best practices. Its corporate bylaws and policies, including hospitality, corporate ownership, and charitable donations were reviewed and updated. The Mint is doing its job.

Stan KeyesLiberalMinister of National Revenue and Minister of State (Sport)

Mr. Speaker, in a nutshell, I can assure the hon. member that since December 12, when this Prime Minister was put into office, it has been nothing but his goal to ensure complete accountability and complete transparency, and that goes for all crown corporations.

Anne McLellanLiberalDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member raises a very important question. Let me reassure everyone that the Government of Canada, the Government of Quebec, and the band council at Kanesatake are committed to restoring safety and security to the community. To that end, all parties are working together. I want to make it clear to everyone that the RCMP will support the SQ and the Kanesatake Mohawk police.

I call upon everyone in the Kanesatake community to respect the rule of law.

Mr. Speaker, enough of macho politics and sex kittens. I want to ask about pay equity.

The task force report came down today and it has the support of women across Canada. I want to ask the Prime Minister about this and only the Prime Minister.

After a decade of stagnation under the Liberals there is still a large gender gap in the workplace. The Prime Minister knows about gender gaps and credibility gaps too. He need only look at the list of Liberal candidates in this election.

If the Prime Minister will not run more women, will he at least commit to the recommendations released today? Will he commit to implementing those pay equity recommendations immediately and provide Parliament with a plan of--

Reg AlcockLiberalPresident of the Treasury Board and Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board

Mr. Speaker, I wish to thank the member for her question because this is a very important issue.

The report was commissioned by the Minister of Justice and the Minister of Labour. It will be released today. Once we have had a chance to study it and understand the implications, we will report back to the House.

Mr. Speaker, we would never know it was an important issue especially when it is added to the latest reports from Campaign 2000 and the National Council of Welfare who have both come to the same conclusion that it is clearly within federal responsibility.

Why is it that after almost 15 years since Parliament passed a resolution to end child poverty, we still have an average poverty rate of one child in six in this country? Poor families cannot live on Liberal rhetoric and broken promises.

Why has the government failed yet again to deliver on affordable housing, on a decent federal minimum wage, and a long promised national child care program? What is the excuse this time? Why is there no action?

Mr. Speaker, we are aware that there are still obstacles with regard to child poverty. That is true. Statistics Canada has said that child poverty decreased from 16.7% in 1996 to 11.4% in 2001, the lowest rate since 1980. We still have work to do.

We invested $8.1 billion in 2002-03 in the Canada child tax benefit, and of that amount $2.5 million on the national child benefit. We will reach $10 billion by 2007-08.

Mr. Speaker, the Liberal approach to Air Canada has been to wish it well, hope for the best, but in fact do nothing. Over 30,000 jobs are at stake with Air Canada and the Liberals are doing nothing.

On April 11 of last year the transport committee recommended unanimously that the federal government suspend airport rents, eliminate the air security tax, and cut the fuel tax by 50%. The Liberals did nothing.

Will the transport minister do anything at all to help Air Canada or will he just sit there like the Liberals have for the past decade and fail yet again?

Mr. Speaker, with respect to Air Canada, Transport Canada continues to meet with Air Canada on a regular basis as it has done throughout the entire CCAA process. Air Canada provides updates on the restructuring operations and its planning. We have not received any formal request with respect to Air Canada.

I would encourage the company, its unions and creditors to continue to work through this CCAA process that would facilitate a private sector solution for this company so that it can come back and compete effectively.

Mr. Speaker, Air Canada, its workers, its unions and its management have done a lot, but the fact is that if the transport minister did nearly as much as Air Canada has done, we would be a long way to having this problem solved.

In fact, if the transport minister put half as much effort into the air industry and Air Canada as he did to putting the boots to Sheila Copps, this problem might be a long way to being solved.

There is a lot of things the government can do. It can cut aviation fuel tax, help with rents, and it can raise the foreign capital contributions from 25% to 49%. However, the government has done nothing.

We want to know, why has the government done nothing on the air industry, nothing at all?

Mr. Speaker, the ongoing documented atrocities in Sudan include the mass execution of civilians, the killing of children, the systematic rape of women, destruction of villages, and the forced displacement of thousands of civilians.

In referring to Sudan's election yesterday to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, Joanna Weschler, who is the UN Human Rights Watch representative, said:

A government that engages in wholesale abuses of its citizens should not be eligible for a seat at the table--

Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is very knowledgeable about how the UN Commission on Human Rights works. He has spoken about it in the House many times. He knows very well that African delegates are put up by African countries, and that Canada, Europe and other countries do not control those elections.

We have made it very clear when we voted against Libya to be the chair the last time that we take a strong stand. We believe strongly that we are working toward the reform of the UN Commission on Human Rights.

This is a very important institution of the United Nations. It does need improvement. We will be working toward that and at this time I am proud to say that CIDA is making significant contributions to the helping of refugees in the region.

Mr. Speaker, this issue goes beyond politics. It is time for the Prime Minister to show leadership.

Yesterday, at least one country at that delegation had the good sense to protest by walking out. Our Canadian representatives sat silently on their hands, staring at the floor.

Today, in the human rights committee of this Parliament emergency action will be discussed. We will be asking that a monitoring committee of MPs and others join other countries in going to the Sudan with the hope of having some effect on stemming the tide of this genocide.

Will the Prime Minister simply take leadership and announce that this should go ahead immediately?

Mr. Speaker, I met today with Senator Jaffer, who is a member of our Parliament, not of this House, and our special envoy to the Sudan peace process. She will be going there next week. She has been actively pursuing the peace process on behalf of the government and Canadian people.

We have been active not only in encouraging the peace process, but we have been active in helping the people of Sudan who are in very difficult circumstances.

The hon. member knows that and he need not try to portray it as if it is a surprise. It may be a surprise to his party; it is not a surprise to the government, which has been working on these issues--